A history as remarkable as its landscape, the Cappadocia region in Turkey is definitely the most magnificent place I have ever traveled. If you haven’t visited it already, Cappadocia with its whimsical fairy chimneys, warren-like underground cities, and peculiar rock formations should be on the top of your list of places to travel!
A holiday in this beautiful city of ancient charm and unusual rock formations is a great experience. The moment you will land in this beautiful region, you will be enchanted by its dramatic landscape and strange beauty. It’s almost like stepping in a different {fairy-talish} world. The sheer beauty of this geographical wonderland is hard to explain in words, you need to experience it yourself.
Endowed with an endless list of breathtaking attractions, the Cappadocia region of Turkey, also known as the city of caves, offers an exotic and invigorating vacation. It is made up of many charming villages and towns, all a few hours or minutes away from each other. We stayed in the region’s epicenter called Göreme. While many Turkey travel guides recommended avoiding this touristy town, we loved it for its charm, ease of accessibility and breathtaking views.
To be honest, I was only first introduced to this city through Instagram posts, and the pictures of hot air balloons against the city’s remarkable landscape was enough to add Cappadocia to our short trip to Turkey. But oh boy, I was so wrong about Cappadocia. While I am sure the sight of the balloons would be remarkable, but even without that this place is something unexpected and its beauty and uniqueness is beyond words.
Steeped in history, Cappadocia, Kapadokya’ in Turkish, has in store countless surprises and mystique treats. For starters, its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations, which were formed due to intense volcanic activity and erosion, makes it an Instagram wonderland. The geological process that gives Cappadocia its unique landscape, started millions of years ago. The region was blanketed in thick ash due to volcanic eruptions, which later solidified into a soft rock called tuff. Later, human hands performed equally incredible work here by digging the tuff to create dwellings, monasteries, churches and even the famous underground cities you see today. To think of how nature despite all the harshness its put through ends up with such wonders gives ”food for thought” on how can we shape our lives.
Our impromptu weekend trip to Cappadocia is definitely one of my favorite holidays, that left me in awe. With just 2-days in hand, we made sure to make the most of our trip. Here is a guide to the things to do and must-visit places to see in Cappadocia.
Things to do in Cappadocia
Take a private or group tour
Touring the beautiful valleys of Cappadocia with a rented motorbike or a group tour is a great way to explore this magnificent region. It’s better to either take a private guide or do a guided tour so can learn more about the history of the place and don’t get lost, as the phone reception is very poor in the countryside.
We arrived late afternoon in Cappadocia and on our way to the hotel, were recommended by a group of young guys to book a quad-bike tour for the evening. I love adventure and was almost immediately sold on the idea. We searched online for a tour and booked it.
After settling down in the hotel, and having our meals, we were picked up from the hotel early evening and taken to the spot from where the tour starts. This 2-hour evening tour on an ATV, took us through the valleys, riding off-road in a group of almost 20-people. The ride was very dusty and a messy affair – the two things I almost absolutely loathe – but the experience was worth it. The tour started with the Cavusin cave village followed by Rose Valley.
The last spot of the tour was the beautiful Love Valley – a picturesque wonderland with tall unusual shaped pillars, also known as fairytale-chimneys. These pillars are simply the result of ancient volcanic eruptions.
There are many ATV tour operators in Göreme, you can find and book one online.
Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Flight
Apart from its unique landscape, Cappadocia is also famous for its hot air balloons that turns this beautiful city into a real-life fairyland.
Watching the hot air balloons from the ground is even better than being on one, most people say. So if you are lucky, you can experience the beautiful sight of colorful balloons floating above the fairy chimneys and dotting the lunar landscape. You can watch it from the terrace of your cave hotel for the best view.
However, I would like to give a word of caution – don’t make Cappadocia all about {the Instagram-famous} hot air balloon, because this marvelous place is much more than that. Besides, if the weather will not permit you may not even get to experience the balloon flight (like us). So save yourself from the disappointment.
There are many companies that offer the opportunity to soak in the breathtaking views of the city from the sky. We were recommended Butterfly Balloon Company by almost everyone for their quality and safety record. Super excited, we booked ourselves for the next morning flight with them.
On the morning, we were collected by a minibus at 4am from our hotel and taken to the balloon company’s office in Göreme. We were directed to a communal area for a light breakfast of fresh fruits, coffee and pastries (not vegan). After having our feast of fruit breakfast, especially the delicious cherries, we waited to be taken to the launching pad. But unfortunately, after a long wait, at around 6am, the Civil Aviation Authority canceled all the flights due to the strong winds that make it unsafe to fly.
Fortunately, we were refunded the full amount and were offered to drop back to the hotel, which we declined and decided to walk back instead. That brings me to the next point.
Exploring the town on foot and shopping
Taking a stroll is a great way to explore and get acquainted with the beautiful town of Göreme. At 6am, we started our own tour of the city on foot, wandering around taking photos of this picturesque town, admiring its uniqueness with its beautiful cave structures and the cobbled streets. Don’t forget to visit Göreme Open Air Museum.
Also, Cappadocia has one of the most beautiful sunrises in the world, which should definitely not be missed at all costs.
Later we headed out for exploring the Cappadocia market and discovered beautiful Turkish handicrafts including the famous Turkish towels, handcrafted rugs, intricate ceramicware, and pottery.
Be Blown Away By The Underground Cities
Beneath Cappadocia’s cave houses and rock formations are around 30 underground cities and over a thousand rock-hewn churches dating back to 1800BC. The most popular is Derinkuyu, the largest excavated underground city in Turkey, with a depth of approximately 60m. Almost 17,000 people lived in Derinkuyu and 10,000 in each other underground city permanently. These cities helped them to escape the harsh winter and wild animals. With almost 8 floors underground housing everything from bedrooms, storage rooms, ventilation shafts, wineries, school and even a church, each of these cities is meticulously planned and is an architectural masterpiece.
Stay in a cave hotel
Cappadocia is full of beautiful boutique-style cave hotels. Checking-in into one of these signature cave hotels is mandatory for a true Cappadocia experience.
Where to stay in Cappadocia is a big question. Since our trip was planned last moment, we didn’t have many choices left among the cave hotels. We picked the Mithra Cave Hotel in Göreme and fell in love with the place. This romantic cave hotel is set on the top of Aydinli Hill and has an incredible view of the city, in addition to vegan-friendly breakfast and beautiful rooms that blend into natural contours of the cave and are decorated in traditional Anatolian style. We picked this hotel for its magnificent unobstructed view of the morning hot air balloons, but unfortunately, during our stay in Cappadocia, the weather did not permit the balloon flight.
The Instagram-famous Sultan Caves Suites Hotel, right next door is also a beautiful hotel in Göreme, and gives a more luxurious experience. However, you need to book in advance as they are often sold out in the peak season.
Don’t leave without visiting the Pigeon Valley & Monk Valley
Where to eat in Cappadocia: Vegan Food Guide?
How to get to Cappadocia
Getting around Cappadocia
Hiring a Photographer in Cappadocia
Getting a local photographer to click some pictures at some of the most breathtaking spots of Cappadocia is a great idea. Finding one, on the other hand, can be a challenging task. To make things easier, I have put together a list of some good photographers in Cappadocia for your blog, pre-wedding shoot, or a shoot for your family album. Here’s the list:
